War of the Wizards

by Ian Page

  ‘My brothers; they come,’ shouts Kuna. ‘We are saved.’

  Cresting the rise is a long line of tall, black-skinned warriors: men of the Masbaté. They send up a loud cry before releasing a volley of javelins into the rear ranks of the demon horde, killing many. The demons are thrown into disarray. Their anguished screams echo throughout the basin as the Masbaté charge down the slope with their swords drawn. The two forces collide and a short but bloody battle ensues. Many of the demons vanish magically. Those that remain are mercilessly slain. When the battle is over, a Masbaté warrior sheathes his sword and walks towards you.

  Turn to 100.

  164

  The power required to lift so many into the air is considerable and you have never attempted this spell before. Concentrating all your energy and thought, you will the loathsome creatures to rise. With startled shrieks they drift up, gibbering and thrashing their limbs uselessly. Beads of perspiration form on your forehead; your temples throb. The demons drift fifty feet into the air before your concentration breaks and you release your hold on them. They drop like stones, hitting the ground with a sickening thud, and dying instantly. Your shoulders sag; you feel physically and mentally drained. Owing to the large effort involved, you must lose 6 WILLPOWER points and 2 ENDURANCE points.

  Turn to 99.

  165

  You draw out the Gem, filling it with mental energy drawn from the Astral Plane. If you have the Magical Power of Sorcery, you use 2 WILLPOWER points; if you are versed in the Higher Magick of Thaumaturgy, you use 1 WILLPOWER point. The Mind Gem gives off a red glow. You use its power to reach out to the Shadakine rider and will him to you.

  Turn to 186.

  166

  You and Tanith squeeze into the alcove and keep very still. The scratch and scuffle of clawed feet tells you that the demon horde is ascending the stairs in the hall below. Soon you hear the sound of movement nearby. Peering out of the shadows you see a hunched, three-legged creature enter the chamber. A single yellow eye looks out from the centre of a broad, furrowed forehead, crested with many long feelers like antennae. The demon emits a moan of displeasure on finding the chamber empty and turns to leave. You give a quiet sigh of relief and suddenly the demon halts and begins to sniff the air, head cocked to one side with a quizzical gesture. Then it sees you and, with a feral scream, stumbles forward, its clawed hands outstretched. You cannot evade this combat and step forward into the light.

  Demon: COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 19

  If you win the combat, turn to 183.

  167

  Using 2 WILLPOWER points, you shake off the power that held you and push it from your mind.

  ‘You cannot resist, Shianti slave,’ the voice spits. ‘You know not who you defy. Know you that I am Agarash the Damned, Demonlord of Darkness. You cannot stand against me. Come, come to me. Take my place here in the Pit of Eternal Pain and I shall be freed.’

  You feel the force of Agarash's will once again. It is a strength mightier than any you have ever known. You fight with a Demonlord, a servant of Naar, King of the Darkness, a force of ultimate evil. Legend tells that Agarash was once a ruler in the world of Magnamund, till he was defeated by a magical race called the Elder Magi and banished to another plane, doomed to remain there for all eternity. Agarash seeks to draw you towards the portal of fire that is the doorway to his prison.

  If you wish to duel with the will of Agarash and have 5 or more WILLPOWER points, turn to 192.

  If you wish to try to close the portal of fire using the Moonstone and have 5 or more WILLPOWER points, turn to 209.

  If you do not have 5 or more WILLPOWER points, turn to 176.

  168

  You triumph at last but, to your horror, you see the remaining ape demons slay your Simar steed and begin to feast on its flesh. Many miles lie between you and the pass. Those miles consist of flat, rolling grassland totally devoid of cover. The demon horde draws closer, almost snapping at your heels. There is no time to stop and prepare some magic to help you. You have no choice: you turn and run with all the speed you can muster.

  Turn to 210.

  169

  You close your eyes and concentrate. At the cost of 1 WILLPOWER point you reach out with the power of your mind. You sense a dark evil: attack is imminent. You are able to ascertain that the attack will be attempted by many and that your potential assailants are not human, but possess an alien intelligence. Everything about them indicates a malevolent power, and it is likely that they have a limited knowledge of magic.

  If you wish to continue in the direction you are heading, turn to 213.

  If you wish to head towards the source of evil in exactly the opposite direction, turn to 9.

  170

  Looking up through a gap in the trees, you see a number of Winged Demons circling. They must be searching for you. Reluctantly you move on again, following the trail until you reach the far side of the forest. You hear the snapping of dead branches and the rustling of leaves: the demon horde is somewhere in the forest, searching for you. Your mind races as the growling and howling of the pack draws closer. It is vital that you find some way of drawing the pack on, towards the Shadakine Army that is moving towards Lanzi and the Masbaté who guard the bridge there. You estimate that the army must be halfway there by now, probably following the line of the River Dosar to protect its left flank. If you are seen at the head of the demon horde, you are sure to be attacked by the Shadakine.

  Suddenly you sight a figure on horseback. It is a Shadakine warrior scouting the land. He must be an outrider from the Shadakine Army. A plan begins to form in your mind.

  If you have a Mind Gem and the Power of Sorcery or Thaumaturgy, turn to 165.

  If you are versed in the Higher Magick of Telergy and wish to use it, turn to 133.

  If you have the Magical Power of Enchantment and wish to use it, turn to 108.

  If you prefer to stand and reveal yourself to the warrior, turn to 311.

  171

  A lethal beam of force streaks towards the beast but, unfortunately, it is just off-target, exploding into a cloud of orange flame in the sky. The use of this magical attack has cost you 2 WILLPOWER points. The creature is now upon you, its great claws outstretched towards you.

  Turn to 161.

  172

  The miles pass by slowly. Though the Lissan Plain is monotonously flat and should be relatively easy to cross, the fierce heat of the afternoon sun drains your strength. Tanith looks very tired. You decide to rest and you both stop beneath the shade of a large, solitary tree. As Tanith wipes sweat from her brow she turns and gives you a searching look. ‘Have you noticed?’ she says.

  You have no idea what she means and tell her so. ‘There are no birds, no beasts, no wild creatures of any kind,’ she replies.

  Her observation explains the strange stillness of the plain and adds to the sense of evil that pervades it. Suddenly Tanith jumps to her feet. ‘Look!’ she cries. ‘Something is moving out there.’

  You look in the same direction. In the distance you can see a small figure moving at great speed, though it is too far away for you to be able to distinguish any details. The figure is moving south.

  If you wish to investigate, turn to 222.

  If you wish to continue on your way, turn to 257.

  173

  You loose a bolt of energy that spirals towards the rider. Unfortunately the rigours of your escape have left you fatigued and your concentration is not good. The attack goes wide and the horseman is unharmed. Your ill-aimed attack has cost you 2 WILLPOWER points. He is almost upon you now and you brace yourself to receive the charge.

  Turn to 269.

  174

  At the cost of 2 WILLPOWER points, you hurl a splash of lethal magical flame at the heads of the leading demons. With agonized shrieks, three of them fall to the ground. The horde falters on the stairs in an uproar of startled howls and screams. Before they can gather their wits, you rush along the gallery and down the stairway to confr
ont the pack where they stand in confusion.

  Turn to 119.

  175

  You raise your Staff and fire at the bridge. The cost of this attack is 9 WILLPOWER points. If you do not have 9 WILLPOWER points then you must use ENDURANCE points at a rate of 2 ENDURANCE points for every 1 WILLPOWER point you lack (i.e. 2 ENDURANCE points = 1 WILLPOWER point).

  If you are still alive after this attack, turn to 252.

  176

  You are weak and tired and lack the mental strength to resist the incalculable might of a Demonlord. Effortlessly Agarash takes hold of your mind, possessing you utterly. He summons you towards the portal and, like a puppet, you obey. While Agarash looks on, laughing maniacally, you pass through the gate of doom, the doorway to damnation, to a realm of nameless and eternal horror.

  Your quest has failed; your adventure is over.

  177

  You take up the Moonstone and, focusing your power, gaze into it. The impenetrable blackness that formerly filled the stone disperses and a light kindles there. Soon the stone is filled with spinning colour. The spinning stops and you are looking at the Lissan Plain. Four creatures come swiftly into view. Each creature is horribly misshapen: the leading creature is a large, toad-like being with glistening green skin and a long tail. All four lope, hop, and shamble along as their ghastly forms allow. There is a menacing purpose to their walk and you are sure that you are their prey. The use of this vision has cost you 2 WILLPOWER points.

  If you have the Magical Power of Necromancy and wish to use it to chant an incantation against evil, turn to 146.

  If you wish to continue moving and perhaps escape your pursuers, turn to 213.

  If you wish to head towards your pursuers, turn to 9.

  178

  A lethal blow from your Staff strikes the demon's bony skull. It crumples and drops to land in a cloud of dust. The beast is dead. The pace of your Simar steed does not falter as you continue across the plain towards the demon portal in the Hills of Tilos.

  Turn to 142.

  179

  You unleash a beam of magical fire that hurls one of the creatures to the ground in a blaze of smoke and flame. This attack costs you 2 WILLPOWER points. A commotion of shrieks and wails breaks out and the evil beasts rush away from you in fear. Some vanish into thin air, intimating the dark magic of their nature.

  Turn to 53.

  180

  You bring down the Staff to deliver a death-blow but, as you do, Agarash shouts out. ‘No! This shall not be.’

  You feel a wave of power emanate from the wall of fire and your Staff grows warm in your hands. Both your Staff and Shasarak's explode into flame, to fall in ashes on the floor. Shasarak begins to crawl on his hands and knees towards the fiery wall, muttering in choked breaths. ‘You shall not have me. You shall not have me.’

  He stands and reaches out his hands. ‘Agarash, our bargain!’ he screams. Agarash laughs once more. A plume of flame snakes out from the wall and wreathes itself around Shasarak.

  If you wish to allow Shasarak to step through the flaming wall, turn to 350.

  If you possess 3 WILLPOWER points, and wish to fill the Moonstone with your power and hurl its power against the wall, turn to 316.

  181

  The Power of Physiurgy gives you the ability to manipulate most of the prime elements of matter, though you can never create them yourself. After a brief pause while you gather your powers of concentration, you focus on the stone door, twisting the natural shape of the stone and tugging at the atoms and molecules of which it is made. A series of cracks and fractures appears and soon it collapses in pieces at your feet. The use of this Higher Magick has cost you 2 WILLPOWER points.

  Turn to 156.

  182

  At the cost of 2 WILLPOWER points, you throw a well-aimed beam of force at the Winged Demon. Your uncanny accuracy inflicts a fatal wound in the creature's head and it plummets from the sky. The pace of your Simar steed does not falter as you continue across the plain towards the demon portal in the Hills of Tilos.

  Turn to 142.

  183

  A final blow fells the creature. As it falls lifeless to the ground, three reptilian beasts appear in the doorway. Many more creatures crowd behind them in the corridor outside. The only possible escape from the Masbaté tomb is through the entrance to the hall five floors below. Somehow you must fight your way down.

  If you wish to attack the demons standing in the doorway with a long-range shot from your Wizard's Staff, turn to 189.

  If you wish to charge the demons, turn to 219.

  184

  The Winged Demon arcs and wheels, spiralling up into the air and preparing for another attack. It has suffered a large, weeping wound from your last attack and its flight path is erratic and slow. It gives a wailing, defiant screech and dives at you once more. If you have recently drunk a Potion of Invulnerability or are protected by the earlier casting of the Higher Magick of Thaumaturgy, ignore all ENDURANCE points lost by yourself during the combat.

  Wounded Winged Demon: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 12

  If you kill the creature, turn to 178.

  If you and the Winged Demon are still alive after one round of combat, turn to 214.

  185

  You peer down into the darkness of the well, and, at the cost of 2 WILLPOWER points, you summon up a tall, swirling waterspout. On the tip of the waterspout is a large, clay bowl. Tanith reaches out and takes the bowl and you allow the waterspout to subside with a great splash.

  Turn to 25.

  186

  Unsuspecting, the warrior rides towards you. He wears a plumed helmet of black metal and you know that underneath the helm his head is shaven, except for a long, plaited pig-tail. Like all Shadakine, his most notable feature is his eyes, which are completely white, without iris or pupil. He is clad in the furs and steel of the Shadakine and carries a spear. A crossbow is slung over his back.

  Illustration X—Unsuspecting the Shadakine warrior rides towards you.

  If you still have your Simar stallion, turn to 37.

  If it has been killed, turn to 45.

  187

  Your heart pounding, you wait as the gibbering, snarling creatures approach. As they draw closer, they move more slowly until finally they lapse into a cowering, nervous creep. Your stand obviously intimidates them, for although you are gripped with fear, you display a confident menace. Suddenly they fall upon you in a wild, slavering flurry of kicks, blows, and bites.

  Turn to 264.

  188

  The Demon Master is weakening. Suddenly, in a desperate bid to escape the dazzling blur of magical flame that wreathes its body, it spreads its wings, and attempts to fly out of range. In that instant you swing a tremendous blow at the monster's heart. With a terrible roar, it convulses in mid-air, arms flung out and clawed fists clenched with pain. It drops like a rock. Before you are able to dodge aside, the creature's body falls directly on top of you, hurling you to the ground with terrific force. You lose hold of your Wizard's Staff and it clatters on the stone floor, just out of reach. You try to drag yourself from under the dead weight of the Demon Master but, dazed and confused by the fall, you are unable to scramble free.

  Tanith rushes forward to grab your Staff. As she does, the demon minions that surround you let out a pealing cry of crazed glee and surge forward. Tanith manages to pick up the Staff before being forced to back away. She holds her dagger before her in readiness but against so many she cannot hope to prevail. Slowly she edges towards you. The Staff is tantalizingly out of reach. Tanith dares not turn her back on the advancing horde to give it to you. The position looks hopeless. Then, amid the whirl of your thoughts, you hear the cries of human voices and the clash of steel. You turn to look in the direction of the sound. Pouring through the entrance of the tomb comes a mass of tall warriors, swords bared, reaping a deadly harvest amongst the demonic ranks.

  Turn to 38.

  189

  Raising your Staff, you unleash a
beam of fire that tears into one of the creatures. It screams horribly as it falls dead in the doorway. The remaining creatures give vent to pealing cries of fear and begin to edge backwards, their twisted features writhing. This attack has cost you 2 WILLPOWER points.

  Turn to 219.

  190

  You throw the light of the Moonstone against Shasarak. He recoils in pain, and then straightens, producing a long, black Staff from thin air. With a hideous scream he charges at you, his Staff whirling, rage contorting his already twisted features.

  If you wish to exert 1 WILLPOWER point to continue the protection of the Moonstone, turn to 307.

  If you wish to meet Shasarak's attack with your own Staff, turn to 323.

  191

  With a whirl of colour, you find yourself in a long, grey hall. You guess that you are close to Shasarak for at the far end of the hall you see a door engraved with a large Shianti rune representing Shasarak's name. Guarding that door is a grotesque creature, a servant of Shasarak. It is a demon, summoned from some ghastly netherworld that only the dark sorceries of Shasarak could reach. The demon has a high, humped back and a square, flat face that bears two blank, emotionless eyes, colourless and entirely lacking in any warmth or feeling, like pebbles by an unknown sea.